Monoblos Ecology
In-Game Information A large-horned wyvern found in desert zones. Their giant horn makes their attacks very dangerous. While they have no breath attack, their ear-splitting roar is the bane of hunters. Taxonomy Order:Saurischia - Suborder:Dragon Feet - Infraorder:Heavy Shell Wyvern - Superfamily:Horn Wyvern - Family:Blos. Binomial Classification: Monoblos ruber (Mono=One; blos=horn; ruber=red/crimson) Habitat Range The Monoblos is endemic to Desert zones of the Old World only. Ecological Niche The Monoblos like their close relatives Diablos are herbivores, yet are highly aggressive and territorial. These creatures are rarely preyed upon, yet they can be attacked by large Desert predators such as Tigrex, Kuarusepusu, Copper Blangonga, Akura Vashimu, Tigerstripe Zamtrios and rare Elder Dragons such as Kushala Daora, Teostra, Lunastra, or Rukodiora. Despite coexisting with these fierce predators these herbivores can turn the tables on potential predators by attacking with their sharp horns, powerful beaks, and deadly thagomizer tails. These weapons make a Monoblos a creature that predators refuse to hunt unless they've no other options. Cephalos and Cephadrome do their best to avoid Monoblos as the large and aggressive herbivores may not tolerate their presence. There are many eyewitness accounts of the Piscine Wyverns being brutally assaulted by Monoblos and their relatives the Diablos, which results in many Cephadrome and Cephalos being killed. Biological Adaptations A common trait that's found among the Blos Wyvern family (and most desert dwellers, for that matter) is the ability to burrow underground. The Monoblos are no exception to this rule, and are adept diggers in the desert sands, thanks to their strong limbs and neck muscles to drive them through the sand. However, they do not travel underground in the same fashion that the piscine Cephalos do. Due to their bulkier nature, the Monoblos is unable to "swim" in the sands. Instead, it does more of what could be considered an absurdly fast dog paddle, using its front limbs to pull it through the sand. Another oddity regarding the Monoblos and its kin is the beast's sensitivity to high-pitched sounds. One would think that they would be resistant to such things, since one of their best known traits is their ear-splitting scream. Yet, while underground, a sudden burst of sound sends them into a panic, often lodging them halfway in the sand (this further supports the theory that the Blos Wyverns rely mostly on their front limbs to travel below ground). It's not so much the pitch that frightens them as it is the sound itself as another of its own species or relatives roar can scare it the same way. Perhaps the most notable trait when looking at either Monoblos species is the grand horn that sits atop their snout. The Monoblos has strong neck muscles to support its large head and to help the process of digging through the sand. However, they need not be that strong though, for in order to change the color of its frill, it would be the case that, rather than being made of solid bone, it is likely that the areas that turn red are made of little more than thick skin, filled with blood vessels. This would make the frill much lighter than if it were solid bone, so much lighter to the point where, if it was made fully of bone, then Monoblos might barely be able to hold its head up, if at all. Some rare individuals have grown a unusual ammount of spikes on there frill,body and tail, have more muscle mass and use different techniques for attacking including extremely fast digging that even outspeeds there stronger relatives the Diablos. Behavior Like virtually any monster in the desert zones, Monoblos tend to be inherently aggressive towards other species, especially humans. When Monoblos face of against a threat, they will flash their frill with blood to scare them off but if that doesn't work than they will attack the threat. On some occasions Monoblos will even team up with their relative species White Monoblos, this could mean that Monoblos are not as territorial towards their own species and relatives. During breeding season, male Monoblos flash their frills with blood to attract females and to scare off rivals. Category:Monster Ecology